Conowingo Creek Restored, Trout Stocked, Grants Opening

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Shapiro Administration Highlights How Stream Restoration Helps Pennsylvania Anglers

DEP and PFBC stocked trout in Conowingo Creek, which has been restored with Section 319 and Growing Greener projects

New grant availability for Growing Greener and Section 319 grants opening soon

April 10, 2026
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Quarryville, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Jessica Shirley and Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) Deputy Executive Director for Administration Laurel Anders stocked brown and rainbow trout in Conowingo Creek alongside volunteers in Lancaster County and highlighted how stream restoration efforts and investments led by DEP are improving water quality and expanding fishing opportunities for angles across Pennsylvania.

The stocking took place in a restored section of Conowingo Creek supported by Growing Greener and Section 319 funding — programs that reduce pollution, restore waterways, and support healthier aquatic ecosystems — completed in 2023. The project reduces pollution in the creek by an estimated 176 tons of sediment, 1,260 pounds of nitrogen, and 386 pounds of phosphorus annually.

“Programs like Section 319 and Growing Greener clean our streams and rivers by removing nutrient and sediment pollution and making them great for not only the fish but for all the other aquatic life that depends on clean water,” said Secretary Shirley. “That clean water is also the source of drinking water for more than 11 million Pennsylvanians, so it is more than just the fish that are benefitting from these projects — it is the people of Pennsylvania as well. These projects don’t get onto the ground and into the water without the support and partnership of county conservation districts, local watershed groups, and other partners that all help us realize these successes.”

"Trout require cold, clean water, and the improvements we're seeing throughout the Commonwealth are resulting in remarkable fisheries," said Anders. "Whether it's the presence of wild trout in thousands of miles of streams across Pennsylvania, or the ability for us to stock millions of hatchery-raised trout for seasonal angling opportunities, these fisheries wouldn't be possible without a commitment to restoration efforts.”

The Shapiro Administration also announced that applications for Growing Greener and Section 319 grants will reopen April 22 through June 22, 2026, supporting projects that restore streams, improve watersheds, and reduce pollution statewide.

Growing Greener represents the largest single investment of state funds in Pennsylvania’s history to address environmental challenges. In the 2025 grant round, 77 projects were selected to restore streams, improve watersheds, and address legacy pollution from abandoned mine drainage.

The federally funded Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Grant program supports projects that implement best management practices in 45 watersheds across Pennsylvania, with a focus on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The program also supports updates to Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) and, new this year, includes a Tier III mini grant program offering up to $15,000 per phase for stream assessment, training, and laboratory analysis.

Nonpoint source pollution — caused by stormwater runoff, agricultural activity, and abandoned mine drainage — accounts for approximately 53 percent of impaired watersheds in Pennsylvania.

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